An Unexpected Turn of Events
by AberrantAtHeart
Summary: In these times, when Tony is so vulnerable, Loki is most amiable, slipping back under the covers, cupping the bright blue light and easing Tony's damage-inflicting hand away from causing further harm. It isn't the sappy type of comfort like in romantic films and books, its just a whisper of a reassurance. Loki/Tony
1. Corrosion

Rating: M

Author: Tumblr/FFnet: AberrantAtHeart, LJ: Iinky.

Warning(s): Mentions of Major character death, sexual content and cursing.

Beta: squirrelassassin

Summary: In these times, when Tony is so vulnerable, Loki is most amiable, slipping back under the covers, cupping the bright blue light and easing Tony's damage-inflicting hand away from causing further harm. It isn't the sappy type of comfort like in romantic films and books, its just a whisper of a reassurance

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-.-

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The papers called Tony Stark heartless.

They spoke of countless, shameless endeavors he partook in with both the male and female population. They used words to paint pictures of the cruel 'Merchant of Death,' who was once renowned for his ability to take lives, turned hero and yet somehow still managed to remain uncaring to the emotions of people around him. They even went so far as to make Pepper a victim.

'_The evil Tony Stark sends his secretary home in tears…again.'_

They had nerve, Tony would give them that. He'd risked his life countless times on their behalf, yet he managed to have little meaning to the world. Only in times of need did they look at him as a hero, a savior. When battles they couldn't hope to win alone arose, they called upon Iron Man, not Tony Stark, with respect shining brightly in their eyes at every victory.

It didn't matter though, because in the end, they were right. Tony Stark didn't have a normal functioning heart in every sense of the word. Without the small block of science in the center of his chest, Tony Stark couldn't survive.

They said without a heart, he couldn't love.

But that's where they were wrong.

At one point in his life, it's something Tony would have agreed with. Each night as Tony prowled amongst the individuals, all willing to jump in bed with him at a simple command, he wished for more. And, every morning he was disappointed by the familiar feeling of disgust. Not with them; never with _them_. He was always so disgusted with himself and with the inability to grow attachments and harbor feelings of romantic devotion to any one person. Even with Pepper. And goddamn, Tony had really tried with Pepper. He had spent his waking hours forcing his mind and –what was left of- his heart into loving her.

He would never say he didn't love her, because he'd be lying. Pepper was the only person who stuck by him through it all and how could he _not _love her. It wasn't enough though. His love for her wasn't what she needed, and he couldn't blame her when she'd left his home in tears, cameras chasing her insistently.

"_I'm sorry, Tony, but I can't let this go on. It's not fair to either of us," _she'd said.

She was right. But for her, Tony would have endured it. He could have woken up next to her every morning with a small sense of security but little more than that. The break up had been for her best interest and _that_ was what mattered to Tony.

Love became an unobtainable dream…one he would never achieve no matter the level of his knowledge. After all, love wasn't something that could be _learned._

_Maybe_, Tony would think to himself, he felt so strongly about his failure to love because he had never imagined _this._

Tony knew Loki to be many things; a God of mischief, Thor's younger brother, Asgardian outcast and a force to be reckoned with. A lover, was not among the things Tony would normally associate with the God. The idea of it was so odd, so foreign to Tony. It made him laugh at the irony he called his life. How should he expect less, though? Without the utter ridiculousness he lived through on a daily basis, it couldn't be his life.

"What thoughts have you smiling?"

Tony's concentration broke away from his reminiscing, focusing on Loki's questioning gaze. His smile grew soft, a tenderness he couldn't see but he knew was lurking in his eyes, "You. Me. _Us."_

"Oh?" Loki had a smile of his own now. He moved from place against the large window wall, pushing away from it gracefully, "What about…_us?" _He asked playfully.

Tony smirked, flicking his hand out to the dark liquor and stealing it from the table top greedily. He grunted lightly as watched Loki's elegant movements, biting back a large gulp of his drink and relishing in the burn that traveled down his throat.

"I like the way you say it better." He winked at the approaching body, readjusting as Loki slid above him, knees coming to rest on either side of Tony's thighs. His unoccupied hand soothed up the fabric of Loki's pants and worked up his side before settling on the small dip of his back. Fingertips pressed harshly against the bottom of Loki's spine, moving them in small circles.

Loki hissed at the familiar touch, grabbing roughly at Tony's hair as he bared his teeth in a sneer, "I loathe that particular habit of yours."

Tony shrugged as he leaned up towards the lips hovering just above his own, pulling against the grip on his hair. His eyebrows raised, questioning Loki's statement without words.

"No. You hate the way it makes you feel." He stated knowingly. "It makes you feel _weak _and stripped of your control," their lips brushed briefly, "but it feels good."

Loki scoffed, his mouth turned down even as his eyes became heavy and lidded.

"You tread dangerous waters, Tony Stark." Loki bit out.

"Mm, I love it when you talk dirty."

Loki reeled back, as if he'd been shocked, his face void of any emotion. Tony pursued, dropping his glass to the floor in an uncaring manor. He reached out to take Loki's small wrists in his hands, moving his thumbs along the pale white skin.

"You are unbearably overconfident." Loki murmured quietly, but remained still as Tony grew closer.

"Would you love me if I was anything else?" He replied.

A sudden gleam came to Loki's eyes. Their green color morphed into a bright hue of depth that always sucked Tony in; holding him captive under their intensity. God those _eyes._

"_Love_ is a very strong word, yet you utter so carelessly." Loki grinned wickedly. Tony was an open book to him. Every thought, every feeling, every _desire, _were always Loki's for the taking. He imagined Loki could spend hours just staring into his eyes, rifting through his mind. Because, yes, Loki was _that_ good at reading people. He had to be, after all. After years of lying and tricking his way through life, understanding people's weaknesses and strengths became a required skill. One that Loki was infuriatingly good at.

And while Tony was an open book, he wasn't as well. He knew what to hide and where to hide it, so it was just out of Loki's reach.

Loki was extraordinary when it came to catching the simplest of fabrications to the most intricate web of lies.

But, Tony decided with a hint of something akin to guilt, withholding information and lying are two different things.

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-.-

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No one seems surprised when they find out.

Tony doesn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed.

Shouldn't someone fear for his safety? He's sleeping with a God, after all. One who, not too long ago, almost succeeded in taking over the human race.

Pepper walks into Tony's room, coincidentally after one of the rare occasions in which Loki spends the night. She takes one look at Tony's frazzled appearance and Thor's brother draped carelessly across his chest then walks out. Her heels click against the hard-wood floor. She isn't running, just walking, casually.

Tony figures maybe its because Loki has been so _quiet_ and keeping out of trouble lately.

Steve and Bruce seem most unhappy about the ordeal. And oddly enough, Thor seems…_pleased._ Tony had prepared to be dismembered at best and crushed to tiny pieces by Thor's damn hammer at worst. But Thor just smiles and says, "Had I known all it took to quell my brother's reign of terror was an experienced partner, I would have come looking for you long ago, Man of Iron."

Tony pretends the comment doesn't disturb him.

Bruce's cough sounds suspiciously like a laugh and Steve just stares at him like the unthinkable has happened. Probably because it _has._

"So you two…" Steve trails off, shifting nervously as everyone's attention turns on him, "you know…"

Thor's sit up straight, throwing his hands up like he's about to start on one of his rants. Tony doesn't want to hear it. He walks hastily back to his room, deciding that sleeping with an ex-mass murderer is saner than spending another minute with his teammates.

Once glance back, taking in Steve's dark blush and Clint obvious amusement confirms his suspicions. Everyone around him is crazy. And maybe that's good, because Tony was never all that sane himself.

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-.-

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Tony sleeps soundly through the night…_most_ of the time.

And, if he's really honest with himself, uncommon as that may be, he only sleeps soundly when Loki is wrapped in his arms. Cold and hard flesh pressed intimately against his own, persistently warm body. And the contrast is beautiful, hauntingly so.

His calloused, large hands draw nameless patterns along Loki's unblemished skin, watching and waiting for him to wake up, lash out at Tony for being sentimental and then burrow deeper in Tony's welcoming warmth, despite his protests.

His sheets are drenched in sweat. Not the sweat he would normally bask in, the sweat present as he pushes Loki deeper into bliss with his body. It is the sweat of panic and fear. The sweat of nightmares he can't get away from, no matter how much time has passed.

His eyes flutter and twitch, taking in his surroundings. He's here, no _there, _but pain always feel so damn real, its hard to shake free even after waking. But, the loneliness, and the desperation to escape is even stronger. It lingers for a while.

Until Loki returns. He takes in Tony's heaving chest and the hand clawing desperately at his arc reactor.

In these times, when Tony is so vulnerable that Loki is most amiable, slipping back under the covers, cupping the bright blue light and easing Tony's damage-inflicting hand away from causing further harm. It isn't the sappy type of comfort like in romantic films and books, its just a whisper of a reassurance, _'I'm here,' _and _'Stop sweating on my shirt.' 'I'm not leaving,' _but _'I'll be gone when morning comes.'_

Its in these fragile moments, when Tony is so exposed and Loki, even more so, that guilt takes the leftovers of his heart in its bruising grip.

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-.-

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"You have been acting strange as of late." Loki's voice drifts over to him. Tony freezes above the toxicity level reader, turning it over and swiveling his chair to face Loki. "Why?"

Tony's best smile has done nothing to avert Loki's suspicions so he drops it, opting for the best facial expression to say, _'What the hell are you talking about?'_

"Uh…nothing?" He clicks his tongue, rolling his eyes in an attempt to look bored. Loki doesn't buy it. Not even for a minute.

It was these situations Tony always tried to avoid. He could ignore the problem, pretend it didn't exist and life would go on. All he had to do was keep calm and carry on his over-confident ways. His genius, as luck would have it, was not equipped with acting skills. Not for someone of Loki's level anyway.

They space between them disappeared within seconds. Loki's hands were clasped tight on the edge of his work desk, blocking him in. Tony did his best to contain the shudder of surprise at the abrupt chill seeping through his shirt and pressed tightly to his chest. It didn't escape Loki's notice though.

His green eyes flickered distractedly over Tony's form, watching his reaction through glazed eyes. Tony took advantage of the change in mood. He switched their positions, nudging Loki up onto his desk by the back of his knees. Loki's hands pushed at his chest in obvious resistance, trying to keep their conversation on track. His struggles died down quickly as Tony brushed his lips along Loki's neck, dipping his tongue in a spot behind Loki's ear.

Tony chuckled when he heard Loki swallow. He watched the way Loki's eyes fluttered every time he pressed down into the willing body, his hands determined to touch every piece of flesh.

Sometimes Tony rubbed and kissed, with murmurs of affection while Loki growled and tugged, eyes opened wide for the entire world to see his pleasure.

But when Tony really wanted to avert Loki's attention, he bit and slammed and pushed Loki into a state of moans and whimpers, unable to form any sensible words.

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-.-

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Tony wasn't sure how long he thought the calm before the storm could last. Comparing Loki to a storm seemed quite appropriate. He could spit fire and ice and make mountains tremble under his rage. Fighting with Loki was like diving into a whirlpool of death traps.

"What is _this?" _

Loki's voice burned with barely concealed anger, tearing through all of Tony's defenses with the not so simple query.

"It's a tool designed to read levels of toxicity in blood." Tony in a voice one would use when explaining something very complex to a small child. "You just put it to your finger-"

Loki cut him off quickly, "I know what it is, Stark!" He shouted. Loki's knuckles turned white over the small gadget and Tony fear the force of his hold would shatter it to pieces. "I want to know _why _you have it."

Tony didn't reply and the silence fueled Loki's onslaught.

"Who is it for?"

"Who do you think!" Tony shouted back in frustration. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. "Come on Loki, don't act like you don't know."

Green eyes widened impossibly; hoping, no, _begging_ for his implications to be untrue.

Tony dropped his chin down, staring at the ground and ignoring the rush of emotions everyone assumed he didn't have, because surely, Tony Stark couldn't love, and the God of Mischief couldn't care. Loki's broken stance said otherwise, though.

"You_,_" Loki bit out, "…you _knew_ all this time?"

Tony just wanted this to end. He was tired, _so _tired. Fighting off death and fighting the bad guys. He didn't want to fight Loki to. But he deserved it. This day had to come, born from the ashes of Tony's mistakes and Tony's lies and Loki's trust.

"You could have told me from the very beginning, but you _didn't. _Tell me _why!_"

"I never knew we'd get this far." Tony spoke softly now. There was no use trying to hide anymore, no use in playing the fool. "I didn't see the point." The truth felt like acid; running through his veins and killing every bit of human that was left of Tony.

Loki was in front of him. He didn't flicker over or rush at him, but took slow, deliberate steps towards his goal, finger dancing along the hem of Tony's shirt. He moved to lift it up but Tony stopped him, gripping roughly at Loki's elbows. "Please." Loki watched him for what felt like forever. It made Tony feel like a germ under a microscope; exposed and under worthy of those judging, sad green eyes.

Loki ignored his plea, but moved leisurely, urging Tony's hands out of the way and lifting his shirt up high. Tony's eyes shut and his body tensed.

Suddenly his shirt was gone, but Loki's hands were everywhere. His back, his sides, his face, but they always lingered around the arc reactor, tracing the blue veins, raised and painful. His hands felt so good. And this was all Tony would ever need.

"Stupid, _insufferable_ human." Loki's tone didn't reach its usual standard for insults. He could have been spouting love songs and poems if Tony hadn't known any better. It didn't matter, though. Not if Loki kept kissing his chest and sending shivers through his body, ones that weren't caused by the ice-cold temperature of his touch.

"I think…" He tugged at Loki's hair, trying to focus before Loki made him lose his mind. "I think I love you." He stammered out. "I don't know why. I don't know how long, and maybe I don't really, but…" he paused, scared to look down at Loki's reaction, "with you, it's the closest I've ever come."

Silence dragged on. Tony's confession hung in the air, like a repetition of an embarrassing moment.

_Finally, _Loki answered, "This will not end the way we wish it. The path you have opened to us; will be most painful."

"All the more fun then, right?" And there was Tony- his quirky comebacks and a knack for digging himself into some deep fucking holes.

Loki smiled. It was happy really. Tony had seen him happy, he'd been the one to make Loki happy. Just as Loki had done for him. Maybe not in the most conventional way, but it got the job done, none the less.

It all made sense in Tony's mind. He didn't want to ponder what Loki would do when he was gone, or how long he had, or if death hurt as much as imaging Loki never smile again.

So Tony didn't think and Tony didn't wonder. He just _felt. _He felt Loki in him and around him. Everything hurt less with the mutual understanding of pain. And that made everything make sense.

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-.-

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A/N: Thanks so much for ready guys! I really hope you enjoyed and I appreciate any feedback you give me!


	2. Chapter 1 Without Thought of Consequence

Story: An Unexpected Turn of Events

Beta: squirrelassassin

Warning(s): Mentions of Major character death, sexual content and cursing.

Summary: In these times, when Tony is so vulnerable, Loki is most amiable, slipping back under the covers, cupping the bright blue light and easing Tony's damage-inflicting hand away from causing further harm. It isn't the sappy type of comfort like in romantic films and books, its just a whisper of a reassurance

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, obviously.

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out. The next chapter won't take as long, I hope. I'm seeing this story through, although I've kind of moved on from the fandom. But I will see it through! Thanks for your patience. Also, there isn't much character interaction in this chapter, it's ore about getting a feel for Loki's POV and his reaction. There is some minor relationship-fixing with Thor.

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Chapter 1: Without Thought of Consequences

_Italics are flashbacks_

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Fear is a relentless and unbearably toxic emotion.

Fear has the power to fill a city with chaos, regrettable actions- not regretted until they've already been committed. It is able to bring the greatest of men and Gods alike to their knees if a heavy dose is present. Fear was an emotion Loki knew all too well. He wouldn't know the feeling until he looked back, clouded by confusion and anger, but the fear was always present. Mostly he was terrified of the qualities he lacked as a son, as a brother and as a God; the qualities Thor had. But more than that, Loki was terrified of the loss that came from his attempts to compensate.

So, no, fear was not a foreign feeling for Loki. It was the root of his fear that was uncharted territory.

Love, an equally dominant and even more influential emotion than fear, he avoided to no end. Loki had been raised beside Thor, fought battles with him, laughed with him and he loved his brother dearly despite the fact that his actions spoke differently, but he tried not to muse over nearly killing his own brother and what would of come from his success. His mother had shown him the unconditional love of a parent and although his father's affection could be questioned, Loki knew it was there, no matter how often he wondered on it.

How Tony Stark, a mere mortal, had managed to penetrate Loki's defenses was anyone's guess. Loki had spent many sleepless nights attempting to crush the familiar emotions Stark managed to revive. His efforts were for naught.

The man was like a parasite, burrowing underneath Loki's armor of resentment and anarchy. In Stark's defense, his actions didn't seem intentional. It was quite the opposite of the usual charm Tony was always known for, though. It was more an unspoken understanding that drew Loki to Tony like a moth to a flame; dangerous yet undeniably enticing.

It was new for both of them, and after a lot of resistance and avoiding their insistent pull towards each other, something snapped. At first their relationship, if it could be called that, was awkward and more closely resembled a battle for dominance. ; testing the uncertain waters.

It was like a breath of relief when they finally, _finally_ gave in.

That's what Loki had been led to believe. That eventually they opened themselves up to each other like they weren't able to with others. Their wit and intelligence matched perfectly and Loki could reluctantly admit that Tony was a commendable companion for him.

It was the perfect crime. To deceive a God who prided himself on the ability to swindle, and easily spot any lie.

Loki couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to become so blind.

And now that he could _see_, it was all fury and pain and that feeble flesh withering away; mocking him with his failure to make Tony anything more than what he was; a dying human.

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Loki didn't cry. He waited long after Tony had fallen asleep, worn and tired from their intimacy before he was gone from the warm sheets and standing at the foot of Tony's bed, watching the bright blue glow rise and fall with Tony's chest.

Such bitter irony; life and death twined together so closely.

A few minutes later found Loki on the top of Stark tower. The city wind was harsh and cold against his skin. It was nothing like the environment of Jotunheim, yet still bitter enough that he found himself wishing for the warmth of Asgard.

There was a time when Tony had been the warmth that Loki needed; the perfect balance of hot and cold.

Falling for a mortal had its consequences. They developed sickness and disease, grew old and died. Their lives were so fragile and brief; a bright star, shining with life among the dark blanket of night, before disappearing with the rising of the sun.

Loki was no stranger to the early death of humans, having seen and caused it during the long course of his life. It was different experiencing it so personally though; more painful than Loki felt comfortable admitting to himself.

Now all he would have were the reminiscences of their time together. _Fragile and Brief._

One trait, among many, Loki both despised and appreciated was his remarkably memory. The ones that resurfaced every time Loki had doubts - every time he let his mind play out multiple scenarios and where their relationship would lead. All of them ended badly, and left Loki to wonder whether their relationship was doomed from the start or if his mentality was already too far gone to be optimistic.

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"_I do not like to repeat myself, Stark." Loki growled out, his fingers clasped tightly to Tony's shoulders._

"_Tell me something I don't know." Tony replied casually._

"_Put me down now." Tony ignored his demands, shooting up higher into the night sky._

_It wasn't fear of heights or flying that caused apprehension to creep into Loki's voice. He wasn't prepared to put his fate in the hands of another, especially not someone as reckless and uncaring as Tony Stark._

"_Just relax, princess." They came to a clumsy stop. Loki could feel the hot flames ejecting leisurely beneath them to keep them airborne. "See it's not so bad."_

_Loki glanced beneath them at the miniaturized view of the city. He had little admiration for the overpopulated, filthy place but the lights against the night's backdrop were pleasing to the eye. _

_Tony's laugh stole Loki's attention, drawing his eyes toward the exposed part of Tony's face. He could feel Tony's knee bend underneath him, settling into a more comfortable position. Loki refused to fidget when Tony's metal-covered thigh brush intimately between his own. He searched Tony's face for any sign of his intentions but only found an amused raised an eyebrow in question. _

"_I was just thinking about what you said to Fury."_

_Loki frowned, wondering how the one-eyed man had come to Tony's mind. "Oh?"_

"'_An ant has no quarrel with a boot…'" Loki smirked as he recalled his first encounter with Fury, the statement sounded odd on Tony's tongue. He glanced back down at the barely visible specks scattered along the streets. Humans really did resemble insects from up here. "You could have used magic ya know, if you really didn't want to be up here."_

_Loki's body tensed, keeping his gaze trained away from Tony's smug grin. "Yes."_

"_But you didn't…"Tony continued._

"_What a remarkable observation Stark-"Tony cut Loki off as his lifted his chin, crashing their mouths together in a fierce kiss._

_Loki's breathing was ragged when Tony finally pulled away with a small flick of his tongue._

_He watched Tony's growing satisfaction with annoyance, "Loki, Tis but thy name that is my enemy." Tony teased, smile still in place. "Actually, it's that silver tongue of yours that gets me every time."_

_Loki growled, squeezing tightly on Tony's shoulders, and feeling pleased when the suit crunched slightly beneath his grip. "Must you always jest?" _

_Tony shrugged, ignoring the damage Loki's hands left behind. "It's part of my charm."_

"_Indeed."_

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A few weeks passed by.

Some days, Tony would sleep in late and Loki would allow himself to be held, lying awake in strong arms as he stared at the ceiling until Tony stirred beside him.

When Loki woke alone, sheets cold and the vibration of loud music humming along the floor, his eyes would clench shut. Breathe in, breathe out and let the darkness consume him, pushing away the awaiting world. His body would move on its own accord, gliding past messes of scrap metal and materials Loki wasn't familiar with.

He would watch Tony's form hunched over his desk, shirt clinging to his back with sweat.

It would take a long time for Tony to recognize his presence. He would turn occasionally; look right at Loki, lost somewhere far away from the safety of Stark tower. And Loki could do nothing but watch and wait.

It gave Loki time to think. He thought about home, wondering if it would do Tony any good to reside in Asgard for a while. Maybe their vast array of expert healers could find a way to prolong Tony's life, or perhaps the lack of stress would help Tony feel at ease. Then Loki remembered who he was dealing with. Tony Stark; all loud and distasteful music, sporadic episodes of energy, love of attention and unwillingness to be left out despite the fact that he was becoming more of a liability in battle than an asset.

The thought of Tony in his birthplace forced the beginnings of a smile to his face before it quickly washed away. His connection to his home was all-but severed, and they were unlikely to welcome him back with open arms.

Loki found new ways to distract himself, delving into ancient books of magic. Most of it was of no use to him. Occasionally he stumbled across written journals of personal accounts of magical knowledge. They were like commentaries of any spells the writer's had discovered or created. The pages were strong and rich; perfectly scribbled ink and free of any blemishes. Loki would have taken time to admire such beautiful artifacts but the content inside them was of more importance, so he ignored them in favor of learning as much from the text as possible.

Loki went through diary after dairy, sporadically grabbing the more official findings when he failed to find anything useful in the journals.

Thor would stumble upon him every one in a while. Loki suspected Thor would seek him out, and only acted as if they crossed paths by chance, considering he had yet to run into any of the other Avengers.

Although Thor's presence wasn't what he would regard as helpful, insisting he lend Loki a hand and roughly skimming through content he didn't understand, the company eased Loki's anxiety significantly. And it was all because of Thor that Loki came across a book he'd only seen once in Asgard. The bindings were falling apart, pages coming out at the seams and paragraphs repeatedly scratched out. The old cursive itself was nearly impossible to make out and even harder to understand their meaning but the unusual looking spells stroked Loki's curiosity.

"Loki," Thor had said in a concerned voice, "have you found anything pertinent?" He asked, gracing the book with a wary expression.

"Nothing I have time to explain to you, Thor." Loki answered distractedly.

"It looks to be dangerous, brother."

"If it bothers you so, then leave." Loki snapped. When Loki finally focused on Thor, he wished he hadn't, the look of hurt displayed so openly on his face made Loki regret his harsh tone. He sighed quietly, "It is dangerous, Thor but Tony hasn't given me much to work with. It may be best if I continue alone."

Thor seemed to accept the unspoken apology in the form of explanation, reluctantly leaving Loki to his reading.

Blood Magic.

His primary instinct upon the sudden revelation had been to abandon the forbidden teachings. It wasn't the type of magic Loki was familiar with. He'd used dark magic, yes, more often then not, but this particular kind of magic was considered to be extinct; _forbidden._

His hands itched to take in the new knowledge, flipping through with renewed interest.

One particular entry, the words bold and more clearly written than the rest, called out to Loki. It was a rebirth spell.

For those who fell ill with disease, were hit by an irreversible curse virtually a cure for any who lie on their death bed. The script went on in a description of its different consequences.

Not of that mattered to Loki, all that concerned him was the small hope it offered.

The spell possessed the power to reverse the damage to Tony's body, and beyond that, if the book's inscriptions were truthful then a quantity of Loki's magic would linger inside Tony's body, preventing any further harm caused by the arc reactor.

It would work. Loki would make sure of that.

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"Do it."

Loki frowned, readjusting himself above Tony, hands hovering over the flickering light, "It will not be pleasant."

Tony choked out a short laugh. "Yeah, wasn't really expecting a ticklish feeling."

Loki smiled at his response in spite of their circumstances. Lifting his hands, Loki let the soft skin and rough patches of hair along Tony's jaw slide against his fingertips. He could feel Tony shiver beneath him.

Loki turned his head slightly toward the room's forgotten occupant, keeping his eyes trained on Tony's chest in concentration, a reiteration of the spell already playing through his thoughts. "Be sure you are prepared," Loki called out.

"What should I be looking out for?" Bruce asked quietly.

"I haven't the slightest idea."

A strong green glow seeped out along Loki's hands, slowly covering the expanse of Tony's chest and prickling Loki's skin. Its pulse grew stronger, forcing its way into Tony's nose and mouth. He observed the happening with apprehension as the green faded darker; pitch black, thick smoke twisting together with green. Tony cried out, struggling against Loki's hold in an effort to catch his breath. The magic was suffocating him, Loki could see it, airways cutting off, eyes opened wipe as he tried to tear away from the onslaught.

Loki caught the flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Do _not _interfere unless I say otherwise." Loki growled. Bruce backed away.

He thought the worst of it was over when the last of his magic was sucked away and Tony's body went limp aside from the desperate gasps of air. His eyes had closed and Loki's stomach clenched in anticipation. When Tony tensed, hands balling into fists, back arched, raising Loki with it, he knew it was just the beginning.

He'd been present for Tony's pain, his pleasure, but none of those moments could prepare him for the blood curling cries ripping from Tony's throat.

"Get it out!" Tony screamed repeatedly, clawing at his throat and down to his chest, following the path of Loki's, no longer visible, magic. The shouts, deafening and terrifying, died down eventually but Tony's struggles remained determined.

Loki's fingers dug into muscled shoulders, knuckles turning white with his heavy grip and bent his head down, whispering calmly into Tony's ear. "It will be over soon, I promise. Just try to relax."

Just as quickly as it began, it ended. With a small spasm of Tony's limbs, the dark sickly veins and signs of infection receded, black and green molding t the outline of the arc reactor and then disappearing all together.

Silence passed over the room.

Loki remained where he was, inclined over Tony, until Bruce hurried toward them, sticking Tony's arms with a number of medical devices and taking a few small tubes of his blood.

"I'm going to need that." Bruce motioned to Tony's hand, which lay limp, clutched in Loki's hold. He had no recollection of grabbing it in the first place.

His body felt horribly drained, more so than after the battle for Earth. The stirrings of his magic that he normally felt running through his veins and coiled in his center were almost untraceable. It unnerved Loki to be so out of touch with his powers.

Tony's eyes were moving frantically under the skin of his lids. Loki squeezed his hand reassuringly, whether it was for his own assurance or Tony's, Loki didn't really ponder on it.

Loki lingered for a few moments, finally letting the constrained fear and guilt settle in his mind.

"I must go now." He admitted, sliding carefully of the bed.

"What?" Bruce asked, shocked. "You need to be here if something happens, I don't know anything about what you just did to him."

"You know no more than I and no less." He conjured his staff, watching the orb's faded light brighten in his command and breathed deeply. "I was forced to act quickly, before I knew all the consequences of this spell." He wouldn't say that he'd acted before knowing whether or not it would even _work_, because he refused to watch the last of Tony's spirit fade away, refused to watch him die.

"You didn't know what would happen? Are you crazy?"

Loki shot Bruce an amused look, but his eyes gave away his exhaustion. "There was a time when you would not have questioned my madness. Although this time is different. He is alive and shall we say, cured."

Bruce looked unconvinced. "There could be irreversible damage!"

"Would you prefer I let him die?" Loki spat out venomously.

Deciding not to await an answer, Loki turned quickly on his heels, away from Tony's vulnerable, _human_ body, heart tightening with every step. He needed to figure out what he'd just done.


End file.
